Private companies which transport goods in to the Gaza Strip have gone on strike for two days in protest of the difficult condition which they are operating under as a result of the ongoing Israeli siege and the punitive measures imposed on the Strip by the Palestinian Authority.

Hundreds of trucks which normally transport goods between the Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) and Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossings joined the protest.

This is the third time that private sector organisations have announced a suspension of their operations over the last two weeks in protest against the difficult living conditions.

Truck drivers said the quantity and quality of the goods being imported had reduced due to the difficult economic situation in the Gaza Strip. Only 250 trucks of goods now enter the Strip each day, down from 700.

Trucks cost $100,000 and remain idle in warehouses for days on end making a significant loss to the companies that have invested in them.

Protesters also highlighted the increase in taxes levied on imports by the Palestinian Authority since it took over management of the border crossing from Hamas under the terms of the reconciliation agreement. This, they argued, has forced prices to rise and reduced consumer purchasing power.

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